that time again, what lights for a 29 gallon?

[gfk]

I am trying to decide what lights to get right now for my 29 gallon tank. Little background, I want to keep LPS and SPS and a few softies, but not much, and i wont be upset if my shrooms and xenia melt away. My tank is a drilled 29 gallon, 10 gallon sump, coral life 65 super skimmer etc etc.

I have narrowed it down to 3 options, but if you guys have any other ideas then please feel free to mention them.

#1 is a T5 setup. Either retrofit in a hood, or just a already put together setup. Both would be 4 bulb with 3 blue/actinic and one day light, with individual reflectors.

#2 175 watt MH 14k with 130 watts of pc Actinic. This would most likely be in a Hood and retrofitted so i could include the actinic bulbs

#3 would be the same as 2 but 250 watts of MH.


What do you guys think, i am concerned with heat and i do not want to run a chiller. #1 and #2 seem to be the safest options, I switch back and forth between the 3 like every hour... what do you guys think i should do?

 

[Henry22]

T5. I think the watts dont really determine what you can and cant keep. You can have alot less wattage of HO T5 and they can still be better than PC. I vote for 4 T5 HO with individual reflectors. This would save you from having to chill your tank. You assured to have to have a chiller for 3 unless its pretty high and for option 2 if you retrofit, which you said you would you would probaly need 4 fans in the hood.

 

[mr pink floyd]

i have a 150 DE on my 29, PERFECT

 

[gfk]

i most likely will put fans in the hood, probably would have some kind of glass cover in there as well, with some fans above the class cover, and a couple below.

the thing i worry about with T5s is that the tank is 30 inches long, and the T5 would only be 24. right now i have my old 130 watt PC light on there and its 24 inches, and doesnt reach the edges too well. im sure with T5s being so much more intense that wouldnt happen though

 

[easye123]

do a 150w Mh with 2x24w t5's actinics

the best of both worlds

 

[DarkXerox]

Ok so you're out in Benicia so it doesn't get too hot there right?

I'd say go with MH and T5 if you can. Depending on if you want to keep the really light demanding SPS, you can pick either a 150w or a 250w MH. I've been running only my 250w MH this summer since my PC ballast keeps tripping the outlet on this side of my room. But I've gotten great color and decent growth.

But if heat is an issue, go with like 4 24w T5's alone. I've seen people keep nearly every type of SPS under these, but they get kind of a pastel color in most tanks (depends if you like that or not). Plus you lose the shimmer effect.

 

[gfk]

it doesnt get TOO hot here, but for about a week this summer my tank got up to 85/86 with the heater off, and just PCs... i will have AC where i am moving to soon though...

The reason i plan to use PC actinic is because i already have the light and i can use the ballast and everything from that.

i think i want the shimmer effect as well as the brightest colors i can get, i think the 150 or 175 would be best, with the PC supplimentation

 

[DarkXerox]

Ok well if you plan on making a hood or something that should work out great. Check out http://www.innovativelights.com/ on the web for a MH retrofit. They have a pretty wide range of things.

As for color, I liked the 14k phoenix combo with the PC's and I think they just released smaller wattage bulbs. But choosing between a DE 250 and an SE 175 is up to you really. I know we had a pretty nasty heatwave last month, but I just ran my lights at night then.

 

[gfk]

anyone else?

 

[JC VT]

I would do a 175 watt halide with the iwasaki 15k bulb
PFO parallel reflector
2 VHO actinic

All in a DIY pendant

 

[BAILEY464]

I have a 150 sunpod w/150 watt ,14k bulb and the colors and coral growth are really great. I personally think you need atinics with this bulb